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Thursday, August 04, 2011

Does YU's new Vice Provost know about this? Mascot Questions

As of last January, Y.U's Vice Provost is Lawrence Shiffman. Shiffman has an (earned) Ph.D. degree from Brandeis University and is a specialist in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Judaism in Late Antiquity. In short, he knows what a Maccabee looks like.

Is this really how
Macabee soldiers dressed?

So inquiring minds are wondering: Did Dr. Shiffman sign off on his University's new mascot? Was he given a chance to say, "Hey, you know what, a Macabee might have had a beard; also, he might not have worn such fancy armor."

I say this not because I think mascots are required to be historically accurate, but because the press release announcing the introduction of this particular mascot claims: "The warrior in the logo is a historically accurate depiction of soldiers at that time and how the Maccabean army would most probably have dressed."

I'm no specialist, but I call B.S and would be most pleased to hear from an expert who can tell us the real deal.

Here's what I know: The skirt is accurate for a Greek soldier; so is the spear (though a hoplite would carry a sword, too.) I don't know if Macabees dressed like that, however. The shield is wrong (should be a circle) and the helmet is Illyrian, which strikes me as wrong, too, but I'm not sure. I'm most curious about the clean face. Did Macabees wear beards, or did they glorify cheek bones like other Greeks?

If it relates to Jews, Judaism, holidays, Midrash,Torah, halacha or anything similar, I probably have a post on it. And if I have a post on it, I probably have a good comment thread with great reader-provided information, too.

Try a search and see for yourself. If you can't find what you're looking for ask me.

Quotes

רֹאשׁ דְּבָרְךָ אֱמֶת קוֹרֵא מֵרֹאשׁ דּוֹר וָדוֹר עַם דּוֹרֶשְׁךָ דְּרֹשׁ
Your chief word is "truth"; You've called it out since the beginning. In each generation people interpret You [for themselves] and find [their own] meaning.

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you odd. -Flannery O'Connor

“When in the afterglow of religious insight I can see a way that is good for all humans as it is for me—I will know it is His way.” - R. Abraham Joshua Heschel

I don't accept at all the quite popular argument that the press is responsible for the monarchy's recent troubles. The monarchy's responsible for the monarchy's recent troubles. To blame the press is the old thing of blaming the messenger for the message. -Anthony Holden

Said behind my back

"...he's trying to show that there are other facets to Orthodox Judaism. That we don't all think one way and vote one way. And he's occasionally entertaining when he's not being mean-spirited" [PsychoToddler]"

"He's witty. He's funny. He appreciates the ridiculous in life, and has no qualms about telling you when he thinks that you're being a moron" [Cara]

" I'm pretty sure [DovBear] is a really great guy who just wants to be able to ask questions and talk about things without the fear of someone claiming he's off the derech or on his way there." [Chaviva]